Yokuda
Yokuda, sometimes spelled Yakuda, lies to the west of Tamriel and was the homeland of the Lefthanded Elves and Redguards, who were at the time known as the Yokuda. The majority of the continent sank into the sea in 1E 792, although the cause of this catastrophe is still debated today.Pocket Guide to the Empire, Third Edition: Yokuda Some suggest a series of natural earthquakes caused it, while others argue that it was the Ansei group, the Hiradirge. The Yokudans escaped this disaster by traveling to Tamriel, in the province of what would later become Hammerfell, arriving in year 808 of the First Era. Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition: HammerfellPocket Guide to the Empire, Third Edition: Hammerfell One reference claims that "the Redguards destroyed Yokuda so they could make their journey" to Tamriel, but does not elaborate.Mysterious Akavir Geography The continent, when it existed, was a place where "rocky, barren hills were matched by the fecund combination of sophisticated agriculture, politics, and warfare. It was a harsh environment, training the Yokudans well for their lives in Tamriel. Known islands *Akos KasazThe Lost Islands of Old Yokuda *Samara *Kanesh *Yath History What little is known about the continent is that a series of civil wars took place there. The first of these occurred in the Fourth Century, and the second during the Eighth Century. During the last civil war, the only known participants were a "renegade band of Ansei called the Hiradirge", who were defeated in 1E 792. At some point the Redguards had a war with the Lefthanded Elves, whom they defeated using Orichalcum weapons.Varieties of Faith in the Empire Religion The main religion of Yokuda is a mix of their traditional pantheon and ancestor worship. *Satakal – Yokudan god of everything. A fusion of the concepts of Anu and Padomay. Basically, Satakal is much like the Nordic Alduin, who destroys one world to begin the next. In Yokudan mythology, Satakal had done, and still does this many times over, a cycle which prompted the birth of spirits that could survive the transition. These spirits ultimately become the Yokudan pantheon. Popular god of the Alik'r nomads. *Ruptga – Chief deity of the Yokudan pantheon. Ruptga, more commonly 'Tall Papa', was the first god to figure out how to survive the Hunger of Satakal. Following his lead, the other gods learned the 'Walkabout', or a process by which they can persist beyond one lifetime. Tall Papa set the stars in the sky to show lesser spirits how to do this, too. When there were too many spirits to keep track of, though, Ruptga created a helper out of the dead skin of past worlds. This helper is Sep, who later creates the world of mortals. *Tu'whacca – Yokudan god of souls. Tu'whacca, before the creation of the world, was the god of the cosmos. When Tall Papa undertook the creation of the Walkabout, Tu'whacca found a purpose; he became the caretaker of the Far Shores, and continues to help Redguards find their way into the afterlife. His cult is sometimes associated with Arkay in the more cosmopolitan regions of Hammerfell. *Zeht – Yokudan god of agriculture. Renounced his father after the world was created, which is why Tall Papa makes it so hard to grow food. *Morwha – Yokudan fertility goddess. Fundamental deity in the Yokudan pantheon, and the favorite of Tall Papa's wives. Still worshipped in various areas of Hammerfell, including Stros M'kai. Morwha is always portrayed as four-armed, so that she can 'grab more husbands'. *Tava – Yokudan spirit of the air. Tava is most famous for leading the Yokudans to the isle of Herne after the destruction of their homeland. She has since become assimilated into the mythology of Kynareth. She is still very popular in Hammerfell among sailors, and her shrines can be found in most port cities. *Malooc – An enemy god of the Ra'Gada. Led the goblins against the Redguards during the first era. Fled east when the army of the Hoon Ding overtook his goblin hordes. *Diagna – Hoary thuggish cult of the Redguards. Originated in Yokuda during the Twenty Seven Snake Folk Slaughter. Diagna was an avatar of the HoonDing that achieved permanence. He was instrumental to the defeat of the Lefthanded Elves, as he brought orichalc weapons to the Yokudan people to win the fight. In Tamriel, he led a very tight knit group of followers against the Orcs of Orsinium during the height of their ancient power, but then faded into obscurity. He is now little more than a local power spirit of the Dragontail mountains. *Sep – Yokudan version of Lorkhan. Sep is born when Tall Papa creates someone to help him regulate the spirit trade. Sep, though, is driven crazy by the hunger of Satakal, and he convinces some of the gods to help him make an easier alternative to the Walkabout. This, of course, is the world as we know it, and the spirits who followed Sep become trapped here, to live out their lives as mortals. Sep is punished by Tall Papa for his transgressions, but his hunger lives on as a void in the stars, a 'non-space' that tries to upset mortal entry into the Far Shores. *Hoonding – Yokudan spirit of 'perseverance over infidels'. The HoonDing has historically materialized whenever the Redguards need to 'make way' for their people. In Tamrielic history this has only happened three times-twice in the first era during the Ra Gada invasion, once during the Tiber War. In this last incarnation, the HoonDing was said to have been either a sword or a crown, or both. *Leki – Goddess daughter of Tall Papa, Leki is the goddess of aberrant swordsmanship. The Na-Totambu of Yokuda warred to a standstill during the mythic era to decide who would lead the charge against the Lefthanded Elves. Their sword masters, though, were so skilled in the Best Known Cuts as to be matched evenly. Leki introduced the Ephemeral Feint; afterwards, a victor emerged and the war with the Aldmer began. *Onsi – Notable warrior god of the Yokudan Ra'Gada, Onsi taught Mankind how to pull their knives into swords. de:Yokuda es:Yokuda ru:Йокуда pl:Yokuda it:Yokuda nl:Yokuda fi:Yokuda be:Йокуда cs:Yokuda Category:Continents Category:Lore: Locations outside Tamriel Category:Culture of Yokuda Category:Lore: Locations